1. Field of the Invention
One or more embodiments of the invention generally relate to back and abdominal stretching devices. More particularly, the invention relates to traction devices used in spinal decompression therapy.
2. Description of the Related Art
Back pain is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, and most people have experienced back pain at least once in their life. Some people are born with one or more spinal disorders, while others develop back problems as a result of aging, injury, poor posture, lack of regular exercise, degenerative disease, or arthritis. One particular source of back pain is intervertebral disc disorder. Intervertebral disc disorder is a condition that involves deterioration, herniation, or other dysfunction of the intervertebral discs. Intervertebral discs play an important role in holding the vertebrae together as well as playing a crucial role as a shock absorber in the spine. As people age, intervertebral discs begin to dehydrate which can ultimately result in deterioration the discs. This deterioration, along with other back injuries, can lead to painful symptoms such as herniation of the discs.
Medical treatment for back pain, particularly intervertebral disc disorder, through surgery or pain medication poses serious risks. Among these risks include infection, anesthesia complications, blood clots, spinal cord injury and pain medication addiction. Furthermore, spinal disc surgery may not be successful in relieving pain. Because of these risks, there exists a need for individuals to treat and reverse the causes of back pain in a less invasive, and less harmful manner.
One such noninvasive treatment for back pain, particularly intervertebral disc disorders, is spinal decompression therapy. The theory behind this therapy is that distractive force, when applied to the spine, can create negative pressure on the intervertebral discs, thus creating an optimal healing environment for bulging, degenerating, or herniated discs. This negative pressure creates an osmotic gradient for nutrients and water to diffuse into and rejuvenate the intervertebral discs. Furthermore, when distractive force is applied to the spine, painful pressure on the spinal nerves is relieved. Moreover, decompression therapy can help stretch and strengthen back and abdominal muscles in order to improve posture. Accordingly, many spinal traction and stretching devices have been designed over the years.
Many individuals seek back pain treatment, particularly treatment for intervertebral disc disorders, from chiropractors. Typically, chiropractors perform spinal decompression therapy through the use of traction tables. A patient can lie either supine or prone on a traction table, is secured to the table, and the lower end of the table is mechanically pulled apart from the upper end. This distraction therapy generally consists of several treatments. In theory, each treatment should last 30 to 45 minutes in order for water, oxygen and nutrient-rich fluids to diffuse into the intervertebral discs. Furthermore, this gentile stretching of the spine allows for the retraction of bulging or herniated discs, thus taking pressure off of nerves and other spinal structures.
A general disadvantage of chiropractic treatment is that it involves numerous visits to a practitioner's office. These treatments can be costly, and can pose time constraints on a patient. In addition, most chiropractic tables are unable to be operated by an individual user. Finally, chiropractic traction tables are typically large, very expensive and difficult to store.
A popular alternative to chiropractic spinal traction is known as inversion therapy. Inversion therapy essentially involves a participant hanging upside down. Typically, a participant lies down supine on an inversion table, secures his or her ankles into a brace, and is rotated from a horizontal to a vertical position where the user hangs upside down from his or her feet. The spine is stretched through gravity; primarily by the force of gravity acting on a hanging person's upper torso. Like chiropractic spinal decompression therapy, inversion therapy takes gravitational pressure off the nerve roots and disks in the spine and increases the space between vertebrae.
For many users, though, inversion therapy is intimidating. Furthermore, inversion therapy may result in serious injury. For example, if a user's ankles are not securely fastened into the ankle brace while inverted, injury can result from the user's slipping out of the ankle brace. Additionally, inversion therapy is not recommended for use by anyone with high blood pressure, heart disease or glaucoma; as inversion therapy will increase blood pressure in the upper body by simple gravity. Furthermore, most people are unable to hang upside down for more than a few minutes at a time, which greatly limits the amount of time distractive force is applied, thus diminishing the effectiveness of spinal decompression therapy. Finally, inversion tables are large and not easily storable.
Exercise equipment has also been developed for stretching the back and spinal column. However, few machines exist for the purpose of spinal decompression therapy. These machines tend to be large, heavy and difficult to move. Such exercise equipment is also difficult to disassemble and store. Furthermore, exercise machines have a relatively limited number of adjustments, with certain parts only able to move in limited directions. Moreover, the mechanisms used to for stretching use awkwardly situated lever mechanisms which may be too difficult for a person with back pain to use.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a stretching device that is affordable, is portable, can be easily operated, is less intimidating to use, produces fewer adverse side effects, and can be easily stored.